M50 Manifold Conversion Kit - E36 M3 and 328

[E36M3E]

My name is Eric. I am a BF.c supporting vender.


I installed the M50 manifold on my car last year using several of the DIYs available online. It took me several days of running around to different parts stores, and designing and fabricating brackets so the crank vent, ICV, and dip-stick could be bolted back up to the original manifold bracket system. I hated the idea of just zip-tieing them into place. Both (not just 1) manifold support brackets are bolted back up too.

So as a favor to a couple forum members I decided to manufacture the brackets in quantity and sell them in a conversion kit...mainly because all the other kits are so expensive it's rediculous.

Kit Parts:

• Refurbished and slightly modified M50 manifold.
• Conversion bracket and hardware to mount the crank vent, ICV, and dip-stick.
• Fuel rail mount brackets and hardware.
• All of the hose, elbows, Ts, and clamps pre-cut and pre-assembled so you can plug your crank vent and ICV into the new manifold. (this is not heater hose. it is fuel/emissions hose with braided wall)
• All the vacuum line for the fuel pressure regulator and T for the secondary air pump solenoid and check valve.
• Vacuum line for the charcoal canister solenoid.
• 6 new manifold seals.
• New hose connector and seal for the M50 manifold.
• Throttle body gasket cut perfectly in half.
• 27 page color photo DIY instructions written by me...not just downloaded off the internet. (to my knowledge these are not yet available online)

Full kit price is $365 + shipping

Kit with no manifold is $190 + shipping

Kit without the 6 new manifold gaskets, extra TB gasket, and hose connector for the manifold is $160 + shipping

EVERYONE knows you can build this kit yourself. Please don't crap on my thread with those kinds of comments. If people didn't want it I wouldn't have already sold so many.

If you buy the full kit, this is how it will look when you receive it.

[Sephiroth13]

Wouhou welcome back !!!

[E36M3E]

Wouhou welcome back !!!

thanks...good to be back.

[///RBR]

Hi Eric!!!

[E36M3E]

Hi Eric!!!

did you get yours installed yet?

[///RBR]

Negative... I've been busy with work. Glad that this is back on sale.

[Virg///M3]

Eric, I would like a kit with out the Manifold ($190+sh). What's the process?

[anchman]

Hi Eric,

What mods did you have to make to your M50 intake manifold so that it would it fit on an M52 motor? I already have an M50 intake manifold, and would need only a conversion kit to be able to install it on my M52 motor, so I am also interested to know what mods you had to make to the intake manifold itself.

This is my second inquiry to you regarding this conversion kit. Obviously, I haven't yet installed my M50 intake manifold on my M52 motor. I'm in the process of deciding whether to buy the conversion kit sold by Bonneville Motor Works (which is pretty nice looking, notwithstanding its high price), or save myself about $200 and go with yours.

Also, do you have any pics of an M50 intake manifold already installed on an M52 motor using your conversion kit? I have no doubt that your conversion kit performs just as well as the one from Bonneville Motor Works, so the decision about which one to go with comes down to looks and appearance -- how does each conversion kit look after installation?

And even if the conversion kit from Bonneville Motor Works looks nicer than yours once it's been installed, is it worth the extra $200 or so? That's why I'd like to see some photos of an M50 intake manifold installed on an M52 motor using your conversion kit.

Please respond and send pics to: anches@aol.com

Thank you very much in advance for any help you can give me. I look forward to your reply. Best regards,
Eric

[E36M3E]

Hi Eric,

What mods did you have to make to your M50 intake manifold so that it would it fit on an M52 motor? I already have an M50 intake manifold, and would need only a conversion kit to be able to install it on my M52 motor, so I am also interested to know what mods you had to make to the intake manifold itself.

This is my second inquiry to you regarding this conversion kit. Obviously, I haven't yet installed my M50 intake manifold on my M52 motor. I'm in the process of deciding whether to buy the conversion kit sold by Bonneville Motor Works (which is pretty nice looking, notwithstanding its high price), or save myself about $200 and go with yours.

Also, do you have any pics of an M50 intake manifold already installed on an M52 motor using your conversion kit? I have no doubt that your conversion kit performs just as well as the one from Bonneville Motor Works, so the decision about which one to go with comes down to looks and appearance -- how does each conversion kit look after installation?

And even if the conversion kit from Bonneville Motor Works looks nicer than yours once it's been installed, is it worth the extra $200 or so? That's why I'd like to see some photos of an M50 intake manifold installed on an M52 motor using your conversion kit.

Please respond and send pics to: anches@aol.com

Thank you very much in advance for any help you can give me. I look forward to your reply. Best regards,
Eric

you really can't see any of the kit, save for this one spot just below the TB where you can see some hose coming out, doing a U-turn and then going back up under the manifold.

and if you use a M50 fuel rail cover, which requires some modification to work with the M/S52 fuel rail, you can't tell that any of it is not OE.

on the M50 manifold, I modify the manifold mounting points for the fuel rail so there is clearance for the fuel rail and injectors to sit naturally in their ports...other wise the fuel rail mounts hit the manifold and it doesn't sit right. I also drill a hole between runners 1 and 2 so I can mount the secondary air pump solenoid there.

if you buy the kit from me without the manifold...the instructions still contain the manifold modifications. and you should make these mods regardless of the kit you purchase.


what model BMW would this be going onto?

[FastFreddy]

Hi Eric
so if I have a 97 328is will this kit work? and how much is the shipping on the full kit with the manifold to southern california. how much gain is produce by this swap and do you need to get a chip after the swap?
Thanks

Fred

[blk328is]

97 328is in sw fla. shipping to 34119? so i send you 365 + shipping... (plus my basic handtools) and i have everything i need to complete the conversion? thanks

[dilat3d]

i'll be picking one of these up as soon as I can !

[E36M3E]

Hi Eric
so if I have a 97 328is will this kit work? and how much is the shipping on the full kit with the manifold to southern california. how much gain is produce by this swap and do you need to get a chip after the swap?
Thanks

Fred

yes it will work on the 328. there are subtle differences in the vacuum plumbing on the 328 as compared to the M3. I just sold one to d1nan328is. he and his father installed it last week. although I don't know the exact numbers he said he noticed a big HP gain...you could PM him and ask. the European Car right up said this mod would give an extra 30 or so HP to an M3. http://europeancarweb.com/tech/0602e...d_cam_kit_s52/

new software (anything other than OE, conforti, AA, dinan) will help this mod but it is not required. the big gain with the software is the higher rev limiter where this mod really works.

USPS to SoCal is about $10...I'm in the LA area you might be ablle to pick it up...I'm also going to try to go to the DE's coming up. Butonwillow and Willow springs this weekend. Streets of Willow on the 16th, and the LACCA auto-x on the 18th.

Eric

[E36M3E]

97 328is in sw fla. shipping to 34119? so i send you 365 + shipping... (plus my basic handtools) and i have everything i need to complete the conversion? thanks

shipping is approx $15 to the east coast. everything comes in the kit...even some vacuum line you may not need but mine was all cracked and needed to be replaced so I am including it too.

no matter what everyone says this is not an EASY mod. I have done it many times, I know my kit inside and out, I have a garage with compressor and air tools and the install I did yesterday took me right about 4 hours. I am not a proffesional mechanic, and I'm sure someone could do it quicker but it is a little tricky in spots.

PM M3Pete and ask him how it would go...it was his car I did yesterday while he watched.

I want to sell kits but I also don't wwant someone to get into something they can't handle without too much difficulty.

Eric

[Mechanic69]

I plan to install my kit this sat or sun, been kinda busy. I will let you know how hard it was to install on an Dinan S/C'ed M3

[E36pusher]

Good deal this one is alot cheaper than all of the other kits by far.

[HBpredhunter]

not to shit on your parade, but i can tell you right now any DECENT smog tech will pick that hacked-up pile of crap your selling (please take it right, thats exactly how mine looked on my 328i...) and fail you.

as opposed to the eurosport kit, they will pass you, every time, especially if you paint it flat black....
there is where the 200 bucks comes in....

[E36M3E]

not to shit on your parade, but i can tell you right now any DECENT smog tech will pick that hacked-up pile of crap your selling (please take it right, thats exactly how mine looked on my 328i...) and fail you.

as opposed to the eurosport kit, they will pass you, every time, especially if you paint it flat black....
there is where the 200 bucks comes in....

dude,

people have been installing these things this way for years and I have not heard of one person getting failed. I have been smogged with my kit with no probs.


but good luck with your installations. I truly hope you're not failed.

[BMWALDO]

+1 VOUCH

Purchased the entire kit and it looks awesome. If all goes well I'll be installing this by mid-June. (Setting aside a day off from work to focus my day on the car.)

[M3 Pete]

not to shit on your parade, but i can tell you right now any DECENT smog tech will pick that hacked-up pile of crap your selling (please take it right, thats exactly how mine looked on my 328i...) and fail you.

as opposed to the eurosport kit, they will pass you, every time, especially if you paint it flat black....
there is where the 200 bucks comes in....

did your 328i fail? Did you ever have it smogged? Are you speaking from experience, or just guessing?

When I get home I'll post some pics of it installed on my car and you will see that it's virtually invisible, hidden underneath the manifold. I'll be willing to bet that any smog tech is going to see the one visible elbow down there and figure it's a heater hose and not think twice about it.

Smog techs look for the obvious: CAI, disconnected smog pump, missing cats, supercharger, etc. They often have a checklist of what parts should be on the car, and merely confirm they are still there. These guys are not BMW experts, they don't have the hose configurations memorized, and are not going to notice it. Hell, my BMW mechanic didn't even notice it today when he did my pre-track tech inspection and changed my oil! Granted, he was not looking for it, but he's seen thousands of E36 engines.

Moreover, Eric's kit, which he installed on my car yesterday, connects EVERYTHING back up so your car still has all the smog parts operational. Nothing is disconnected or missing. It may be in a different place, but that's due to the different configuration of the manifold.

I live in California and I am very concerned about remaining smog legal, I don't need the hassle. If I thought there was a possibility that I could fail a smog inspection from this mod, I would not have done it.

Here is a link to my review of the kit.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...4&postcount=48

[volcomnator999]

ill have to pick one of these kits up very soon..( when i get paid) : - )

[JuCo]

Wow, Eric Congrats hope you sell many of these.

I'm so sad, I just ordered te eurosport kit last week. Now I see this.

Justin

[twhite84]

out of curiosity (and please go easy since I haven't really been able to search for a few days) but what would the gain be for a 96 M3?

[E36M3E]

out of curiosity (and please go easy since I haven't really been able to search for a few days) but what would the gain be for a 96 M3?

here is a good article by european car mag. they claim a gain of 32 RWHP with the manifold, CAI, and software.

I have read this article many times and I can't see how they came up with their numbers but there is still good info here.

http://europeancarweb.com/tech/0602e...d_cam_kit_s52/

[SaiKoE36]

I just bought one.... Tell you how everything goes once i get a change to get it and install it...which will most likely happen on sat or sunday...